F1 2026 Australian Grand Prix weather forecast

Hamilton during race in Melbourne — Photo: © IMAGO

Australian Grand Prix

F1 2026 Australian Grand Prix weather forecast - latest from Melbourne

The first race of the F1 season is upon us in Melbourne!

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 5 March 2026 14:55

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F1 is BACK for the first race of the 2026 season and the Australian Grand Prix. But what will the weather be like in Melbourne?

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix will be a hallmark race in F1 history, the first of the divisive new set of regulations that has drawn the ire of four-time Max Verstappen, and Melbourne will be a true test of the new cars.

Plenty of storylines are already rumbling away in the background, from Mercedes' monster engine to Aston Martin and Honda's shaky start (they might be unable to finish the first race!).

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Elsewhere, we have new names and faces on the grid through the likes of Audi and Cadillac, while Arvid Lindblad remains the only rookie on the grid at Racing Bulls.

But enough about the new cars and all the changes, we've covered that already. You're here for the weather. And the weather we shall give you.

AUSTRALIAN GP: Dates, times and fan guides for the 2026 race

Friday, March 6 (FP1 & FP2)

Time to dust off your sun hat and squeeze that bottle of suncream, because the first day of the Australian Grand Prix weekend is going to be lovely.

FP1 kicks off at 12:30pm local time (01:30 GMT) with sunshine and temperatures of 22 degrees Celsius expected. There is currently zero per cent chance of rain and not even the wind will bother the drivers, with light speeds of 5mph expected (from the wind, not the F1 cars).

Temperatures will rise ever so slightly to 23 degrees Celsius for FP2 at 16:00 (05:00 GMT), and light winds will continue to enter from the south-west. Perfect time for an afternoon pint!

Saturday, March 7 (FP3 & Qualifying)

Qualifying day in Melbourne won't be as sunny, with cloud forecast throughout the day and lower temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius for both FP3 (12:30pm AEDT, 01:30 GMT) and qualifying (16:00 AEDT, 05:00 GMT).

Wind speeds will pick up slightly to 10mph, sending a gentle breeze from the south for FP3 and then rising to 11mph for qualifying.

For both FP3 and qualifying, there is a minuscule chance of rain, which means we'll be able to enjoy the first fight for pole uninterrupted by that pesky precipitation.

Sunday, March 8 (Race)

Sunday's also forecast to be a right bobby-dazzler, with zero per cent chance of rain across race day.

Lights out for the Australian Grand Prix are at 15:00 local time (04:00 GMT), where sunny intervals will persist throughout the race distance and temperatures will reach highs of 24 degrees Celsius.

Once again, wind speeds remain low (8 mph), with a gentle breeze entering the Albert Park circuit from the south.

For regular weather updates across the Australian Grand Prix weekend, be sure to check in with this page.

F1 SCHEDULE: Every race date for 2026 plus TV details

F1 Australian Grand Prix